Flight Safety Information - September 8, 2021 No. 181 In This Issue : Incident: Cargojet B752 at Cincinnati on Sep 3rd 2021, engine overheat :: Incident: Star East A320 near Kabul on Aug 26th 2021, engine problem : Woman missed flight and falsely said bomb on plane : Boeing: Directors to face investor lawsuit over fatal crashes : Cathay Fires Unvaccinated Crew : Pilots Suspended for Refusing COVID Vaccine Say They Were Discriminated Against (Russia) : FAA: Laser Strikes on Aircraft Increasing : FAA Introduces Software To Help Pinpoint Laser Offenders : Fake COVID-19 vaccination cards confiscated at O’Hare Airport : Radiation From Sudden Solar Flares Are A Danger To Airline Passengers And Now Space Tourists, Say Scientists : The Full Picture of Safety Operations with Data Sharing : FLIGHT ACCIDENTS ROSE 12 Percent GLOBALLY IN 2019, ICAO REPORT FINDS : Lufthansa CEO: Airline Industry Will Continue to Consolidate : Airbus Delivers 40 Aircraft In August 2021 : Airlines facing a new pilot shortage as planes, but not personnel, return : GE is owed $32 million as supersonic-jet maker Aerion liquidates : American Airlines (AAL) to End Unvaccinated Staff Special Leaves : American Airlines pilots' union to strike over fatigue, overscheduling : NASA Ingenuity helicopter zooms low across Mars in lucky flight 13 : POSITION AVAILABLE: Decision Science Lead, Flight Safety : POSITION AVAILABLE: FOQA Specialist Incident: Cargojet B752 at Cincinnati on Sep 3rd 2021, engine overheat A Cargojet Boeing 757-200 freighter, registration C-GIAJ performing flight W8-919 from Cincinnati,KY (USA) to Calgary,AB (Canada) with 2 crew, was in the climb out of Cincinnnati Norther Kentucky Airport's runway 18L when the crew received a left hand engine (RB211) overheat indication. The crew reduced the engine to idle, stopped the climb at 17,000 feet, considered to return to Cincinnati but ultimately decided to divert to Hamilton,ON (Canada) where the aircraft landed safely about 2:08 hours after departure. The aircraft returned to service after about 18.5 hours on the ground. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CJT919/history/20210903/0955Z/KCVG/CYYC http://avherald.com/h?article=4ece8b91&opt=0 Incident: Star East A320 near Kabul on Aug 26th 2021, engine problem A Star East Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration YR-SEA performing positioning flight CLPR-91 from Bahrain (Bahrain) to Kabul (Afghanistan), was descending towards Kabul when the crew decided to divert to Islamabad (Pakistan) due to an engine problem. The aircraft descended to FL160 for the diversion to Islamabad, located about 200nm eastsoutheast of Kabul, and landed safely in Islamabad about 45 minutes after aborting the approach to Kabul. The aircraft remained on the ground in Islamabad until Sep 1st 2021, then flew to Bahrain and Istanbul arriving in Istanbul still on Sep 1st, and is still in Istanbul (standing Sep 7th). On Sep 7th 2021 Romania's AIAS reported they are investigating an aviation event involving YR-SEA in the KABUL FIR and at Pakistan's Islamabad Airport. There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft. Local media claimed the aircraft was taking evacuees from Kabul to Islamabad, however, Mode-S data transmitted by the aircraft made clear the aircraft did not land in Kabul. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ece67a7&opt=0 Woman missed flight and falsely said bomb on plane • Authorities say a Chicago woman falsely claimed a bomb was on a plane at a South Florida airport after missing her flight FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A Chicago woman falsely claimed a bomb was on a plane at a South Florida airport after missing her flight, authorities said. The 46-year-old woman was arrested Monday night at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and charged with falsely reporting a bomb, explosive or weapon of mass destruction, according to a Broward Sheriff's Office news release. Airline employees told responding deputies that the woman had stated that a bomb was in her checked-in luggage that was aboard a plane, officials said. She made the claim after workers told her that she and her party had arrived too late to board the plane, detectives said. The plane was already taxiing out to the runway but had not taken off when it was rerouted. Passengers were evacuated, and the plane was searched. No explosives were found, officials said. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/sheriff-woman-missed-flight-falsely-bomb-plane-79881178 Boeing: Directors to face investor lawsuit over fatal crashes • The 737 Max was cleared to fly again late last year, after being grounded since March 2019 Boeing's board of directors must face a lawsuit from shareholders over two fatal crashes involving its 737 Max plane, a US judge has ruled. Morgan Zurn said the first crash was a "red flag" about a key safety system on the aircraft "that the board should have heeded but instead ignored". He said the real victims were those who died and their families but investors had also "lost billions of dollars". Boeing said it would "consider next steps". In his ruling the Delaware judge said: "While it may seem callous in the face of [the families'] losses, corporate law recognizes another set of victims: Boeing as an enterprise, and its stockholders. "Stockholders have come to this court claiming Boeing's directors and officers failed them in overseeing mission-critical airplane safety to protect enterprise and stockholder value." • Boeing to pay $2.5bn over 737 Max conspiracy • Boeing 737 Max: What went wrong? The crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019 killed all 346 people on board, leading to the 737 Max being grounded around the world. Investigations later found a flaw in an automated flight control system, known as MCAS, was at fault. In January, Boeing paid $2.5bn to settle criminal charges it concealed information about changes to MCAS from safety officials, contributing to the crashes. But it still faces civil lawsuits from families along with the latest action from shareholders. On Tuesday, Vice Chancellor Zurn dismissed some of the investors' claims, including one regarding a decision to award former chief executive Dennis Muilenburg a $60m retirement package after he was fired. However, the judge said another claim about board member oversight could go ahead. Shares in the plane maker slumped following the accidents and are yet to fully recover. A Boeing spokesperson said: "We are disappointed in the court's decision to allow the plaintiffs' case to proceed past this preliminary stage of litigation. "We will review the opinion closely over the coming days as we consider next steps." The Max was cleared to fly in the US in November 2020, and in Europe and Canada in January this year. It remains grounded in China. The crashes have already cost Boeing about $20bn in fines, cancelled orders and other costs. https://www.yahoo.com/news/boeing-directors-face-investor-lawsuit-224733642.html Cathay Fires Unvaccinated Crew Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said it decided to “part company with a small number of aircrew” who chose not to receive available vaccines and didn’t provide proof of any medical exemption. The Hong Kong-based carrier in June asked flight crew to be fully inoculated by the end of August or face having their employment reviewed, the South China Morning Post reported at the time. All of Cathay’s flights since Sept. 1 have been with fully vaccinated crew, the airline said in a statement Wednesday. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/cathay-fires-unvaccinated-aircrew-austria-s-curbs-virus-update/ar-AAOcnjm?ocid=Peregrine Pilots Suspended for Refusing COVID Vaccine Say They Were Discriminated Against (Russia) Russia's national airline carrier has suspended pilots for refusing a COVID-19 vaccination, prompting a union's claims that they had been discriminated against. Spokesman for Aeroflot, Mikhail Demin, told news outlet RBC that at least six unvaccinated pilots were sent on unpaid leave because they had not received the jabs. However, the pilots' union, the Sheremetyevo Cockpit Personnel Association (SCPA), has argued that the Aeroflot pilots were being unfairly targeted and that other staff, such as flight attendants and technical support staff, did not face the same measures. In a letter to Aeroflot CEO Mikhail Poluboyarinov, the union said that the move had "deprived their families of their livelihood" and that other unvaccinated staff in other departments "continue to work, which is discrimination." It said that there was an 84 percent vaccination rate among the airline's staff and there should be no punishment for those who had not been vaccinated. "These measures toward employees provoke excessive social tensions and push them to quit," the letter said, adding that no other Russian airline implemented the rule. Aeroflot confirmed to Newsweek it had suspended six pilots from duty and put them on unpaid leave "for refusing to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus", and that the vaccination of at least 60 percent of a company's staff is mandatory for certain industries, including transport. The airline also said it had rolled out a vaccination incentive programme to encourage jabs among staff including flight crew and cabin crew in which each worker who got fully vaccinated got an extra paid vacation day. "This strong result has been achieved primarily through consistent awareness and promotion efforts," it said in an emailed statement in English. Russia's labor minister, Anton Kotyakov, said in June that unvaccinated workers could be sent on unpaid leave although admitted that legally a worker could not be fired for refusing a vaccination. It comes as Russia grapples with soaring COVID-19 cases and slow vaccination rates. Despite boasting about being the first to develop a vaccine, Sputnik V, which is one of three widely available, only around a quarter of the population (26 percent) has been fully vaccinated. Moscow had started a mandatory vaccination program in which businesses had to ensure 60 percent of staff were fully vaccinated by mid-August, but this policy was dropped by the capital's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin. To encourage vaccine take-up, firms in service sectors such as hospitality, beauty salons and cinemas were offered payouts of at least $300 if they hit the 60 percent target by August 15. Moscow authorities faced a backlash and had to reverse a mandate in July that restaurants can only allow entry to those who could prove that they were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Last month, Russia launched a nationwide lottery for citizens who are vaccinated in which 1,000 people could win 100,000 rubles ($1,360) if they were randomly selected. However, RBC reported that a poll found more than half (55 percent) of Russians did not back compulsory vaccination in sectors of Moscow's economy. A survey in June found that 60 percent of Russians do not intend to get the shot. https://www.newsweek.com/russia-vaccine-covid-19-jabs-aeroflot-suspended-discrimination-1626746 FAA: Laser Strikes on Aircraft Increasing Although shining a laser at aircraft is against federal and state laws and may result in civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple incidents, the frequency of laser events is increasing. This is according to a newly released FAA interactive webpage detailing data from more than 57,800 reported incidents between 2010 to 2020. The FAA said that despite greatly reduced flying hours in 2020 due to the pandemic, pilots reported 6,852 laser strikes last year versus 6,136 in 2019. In addition, the number of incidents reported last year was the highest annual total in a decade since the peak of 7,383 reported in 2016. The agency also revealed that there have been nearly 200 reports by flight crews of injuries resulting from laser strikes between 2010 and 2020. According to the data, about one of every four laser strikes occur below 3,000 feet agl. California led the nation by far, with 11,198 incident reports over the last decade. Texas, which came in second, had just 5,802 reported events between 2010 and 2020. On a per capita basis, Hawaii averaged 64 events per 100,000 people over the 10-year period. Meanwhile, the FAA has issued $600,000 in civil penalties since 2016, which includes $120,000 imposed so far this year. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-09-07/faa-laser-strikes-aircraft-increasing FAA Introduces Software To Help Pinpoint Laser Offenders There have been some high-profile cases of people who targeted aircraft with laser pointers being identified and prosecuted. But in many cases, it was luck that played the largest role in tracking down the offenders. But the FAA recently announced it has developed a visualization tool for analyzing laser strikes dating back from 2010 and through 2020. The software can identify trends related to such parameters as geographic area, per capita data, year and time of day. Despite significantly lower flight activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, laser strikes increased in 2020. The FAA received 6,852 reports of laser strikes from pilots, the highest annual total since 2016. There were 6,136 reports of laser strikes in 2019. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said, “Pointing a laser at an aircraft can temporarily blind a pilot and not only affects the crew but endangers passengers and the communities they fly over every night.” In addition to federal, state and local criminal penalties, shining lasers at aircraft can bring FAA fines of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple offenses. The agency reports it has issued $120,000 in fines so far in 2021 and a total of $600,000 in fines since 2016. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-introduces-software-to-help-pinpoint-laser-offenders/ Fake COVID-19 vaccination cards confiscated at O’Hare Airport CHICAGO — US Customs agents at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, already accustomed to seeing counterfeit jewelry and designer purses and drugs, are on the lookout for a new category of contraband — fake COVID-19 vaccination cards. According to officials, on Aug. 31, the shipment from China destined for an individual in Ohio arrived at the airport. Steve Bansbach with US Customs & Border protection described the latest seizure of inauthentic vaccination cards. “We opened the package to ensure that the items inside were deemed admissible in the United States,” Bansbach said. • ‘Moderna’ misspelled on Illinois woman’s alleged fake COVID vaccine card Immediately suspicious about misspellings on the package and lower grade paper, customs agents found 19 counterfeit CDC vaccination cards inside the package. “People want to go ahead and sidestep the process and have these cards available so they can get into these events,” Bansbach said. The demand for fake vaccination cards continues to spike, experts say. Agents have found 1,500 counterfeit cards in Alaska, with more seized in Memphis. “From Oct. 1 of last year to Aug. 13 of this year, Memphis has seized 3,017 counterfeit COVID cards,” Bansbach said. The FBI warning the public that possessing counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards violates federal law and is a punishable offense. https://fox2now.com/news/illinois/fake-covid-19-vaccination-cards-confiscated-at-ohare-airport/ Radiation From Sudden Solar Flares Are A Danger To Airline Passengers And Now Space Tourists, Say Scientists Are airline passengers at risk from radiation in the form of galactic cosmic rays and occasional solar flares? Yes, says a new study published in Scientific Reports, but it advises against the aviation industry taking any drastic action. Amid a steady stream of galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles raining down on planes, the higher altitude and latitude of flights, the higher radiation doses for crew and passengers. That brings into play space tourism as well as aviation. Since a large solar flare can cause double the annual exposure limit, action needs to be taken. The remedy is for planes to lower their altitude or change or cancel flight paths altogether. That significantly raises expenses for airlines. Is it worth it? No, says the new research from Kyoto University, Japan, which indicates that the frequency of major solar flares that would cause a problem is only about once every 17 years. What are galactic cosmic rays? Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) are always bombarding Earth’s atmosphere. Originating from the gas and dust between the stars, this energetic background source of charged particles varies as it interacts with the Sun’s magnetic field, but not much. The fluxes in GCR is stable and predictable, states the paper, with dose rates are no higher than 10 µSv/h—a safe level—at the normal cruising altitude of 40,000 ft. (7.5 miles/12 km). What are solar flares? Solar energetic particles (SEP) are another constant source of radiation. A stream of high-energy particles that comes our way every day and night from the Sun, Earth’s magnetic field mostly protects us—and displays beautiful aurora around the Arctic and Antarctic circles. But what about during big solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that are unpredictable, but do happen? We know that massive once-a-century solar storms could damage the electrical grid, communication systems and satellites—and most certainly the Internet—but what about aviation? “During a large solar particle event we see sudden SEP fluxes with dose rates exceeding 2 mSv/h, but these are rare and short-lived,” said Kyoto University’s Yosuke Yamashiki, who led the research team. That’s twice the annual exposure limit. What is a ‘ground-level enhancement?’ A GLE is a unpredicted spike in radiation. In order to assess whether planes should mitigate the effects of these events, the research team assessed eight flight routes during five GLEs. They estimate that the maximum flight route dose and dose rate arising from major GLE events would need to exceed 1 mSv and 80 µSv/h, respectively, before it was worth airlines taking action to protect passengers and staff. In Japan, the Radiation Council sets a target value for radiation dose at 5 mSv per year for airline crew members, but only 1 mSv for passengers. However, GLE events of a magnitude that could deliver passengers such a dose happen only once every 17 years for a maximum dose. So does the risk justify the cost? Since the cost of rerouting or delaying a flight could cost about $1,500 for a long-haul flight operating every day, probably not. “There is no denying the potentially debilitating effects of radiation exposure, but the data suggest that current measures may be over-compensating for the actual risks,” said Yamashiki. What about space tourism? Since the likes of Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin have now begun their space tourism endeavours, the threat from radiation ought to be quantified even more, argue the researchers. “Because the risk of solar radiation exposure is expected to be higher in the space travel plans of Space X, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin, it will be even more important to quantify the risk using the method developed in this study, to propose measures to reduce the exposure, and to develop risk mitigation plan,” reads the report. “However, in order to make concrete proposals, a more accurate risk assessment based on detailed operation plans is essential, and we will continue to conduct such research in cooperation with related organizations.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2021/09/07/radiation-from-sudden-solar-flares-are-a-danger-to-airline-passengers-and-now-space-tourists-say-scientists/?sh=1bf4bc361125 The Full Picture of Safety Operations with Data Sharing In the modern aviation industry, data is a crucial element for essentially every organization’s operations and goals. Today’s connected aviation ecosystem is data-driven and calls for greater transparency and accessibility to accommodate key goals of the industry like safety and superior passenger experience. This is particularly applicable for safety. With the broader application of concepts like data sharing, every stakeholder in the aviation ecosystem stands to benefit. “We can never be satisfied with the status quo when it comes to safety, and the free exchange of vital information is a cornerstone of safety and continual improvement,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson in a recent announcement from the organization. In this context, Dickson was speaking to a new program for aviation professionals to voice safety-related issues and concerns, but the sentiment stands with the significance of data sharing and aviation safety. A recent article from NBAA’s Business Aviation Insider elaborates on the power of data sharing and exactly how its value can be applied across the different areas of aviation. Various experts from across the industry spoke to how data sharing benefits their respective roles and how it closely weaves together all the different fibers of the aviation tapestry, so to speak. Steve Bruneau, VP of Aviation Services at Polaris Aero, explained how data sharing provides a clearer, more holistic view for operators, helping to inform future safety management endeavors. “Data by itself, or without context, might tell you the wrong story; it’s only when you take that data and dissect it down to the root cause (or ‘why’) that you get the full safety story,” Bruneau said. According to Bruneau, and myriad other aviation experts, data sharing is a notable benefit of the successful implementation of a safety management system (SMS), a requirement from the FAA that’s soon expanding across the entire aviation ecosystem. With SMS, data sharing becomes more intuitive and native to aviation operations, contributing to safer, smoother journeys for all. “By having an SMS, you are putting in place a means of capturing the safety data of your flight operation in a way that you can now manage. Improvement comes from managing what you measure,” continued Bruneau. “Once you can capture data, you can then break it down and turn that into safety insights.” The ability to develop those safety insights rapidly and reliably with the power of data sharing via an SMS embodies the more modernized and data-driven approach to aviation that the industry has long been touting. https://connectedaviationtoday.com/the-full-picture-of-safety-operations-with-data-sharing/#.YTieeFVKiUk FLIGHT ACCIDENTS ROSE 12 Percent GLOBALLY IN 2019, ICAO REPORT FINDS In its safety audit report released Wednesday, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) underlined the aviation accidents rose 16 per cent in the year 2019 compared to the previous year, ARY News reported. In the year 2019, the rate of accidents rose to 2.9 per million flights taking off globally, which is 12 more than what was in 2018: 2.6 accidents per million, the international aviation watchdog said in its safety report. Pakistan also made it to the list of countries achieving the aviation safety targets with marking 75 per cent score in compliance to safety measures according to the 2020 ICAO report. According to the safety audit, Pakistan is among the 46 other countries to have scored 75 per cent of above in safety compliance as per international standards. The report assessed the safety standards based on aviation rules, staff training, licensing aircraft operations, probing the accidents, and navigation services, among other things. Pertinent to note that earlier this year, ICAO expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for improving its licencing process. The ICAO’s satisfactory remarks came after a report presented by the CAA regarding the reforms and progress on the Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs) of the international aviation institution. The CAA’s steps for reforming personal licencing grabbed an 83 per cent rating out of the highest 97.4 per cent from ICAO. According to the CAA spokesperson, ICAO has concluded a Mandatory Information Request (MIR) regarding the licencing process in Pakistan after expressing satisfaction over the functionalities and operations of three sections. https://arynews.tv/flight-accidents-rose-12pc-globally-in-2019-icao-report/ Lufthansa CEO: Airline Industry Will Continue to Consolidate The chief executive officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG said he believes that consolidation in the airline industry will continue in the long term as the sector exits the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic. "Before Covid, consolidation was one of the biggest issues in our industry," Carsten Spohr told journalists at a media event in Frankfurt on Monday. While the five major U.S. airlines had an 80% share of the U.S. market, the five largest European ones had just 40%, Mr. Spohr said. "So it was clear to everyone, that there will be more to come," the chief executive added. However, during the pandemic "pretty much every European airline was stabilized in some form by the state," he said, and so mergers and acquisitions weren't possible. "But as soon as these state funds are paid back, that pause button will be switched off because we have far too many airlines in Europe," Mr. Spohr said. "Therefore I continue to see a trend toward consolidation." Lufthansa's chief stressed again that the company wants to repay the financial aid it has received from the German government as quickly as possible. However, Mr. Spohr said that it would take at least another year before the company would be able to repay its debts out of profits rather than just by rescheduling its debt. A return to the blue-chip DAX index, which will expand to 40 companies on Sept. 20, was also on the agenda, he said, but not a high priority. The German flag carrier dropped out of the DAX amid collapsing passenger numbers in June last year after a 32-year stay. But Mr. Spohr admitted that he had looked at the new entrants to the DAX, announced last Friday, and asked himself: "Who is weakest? Who do I have to catch up with?" https://www.marketwatch.com/story/lufthansa-ceo-airline-industry-will-continue-to-consolidate-271631013368 Airbus Delivers 40 Aircraft In August 2021 On Tuesday, Airbus released its latest figures for sales and orders for August 2021. With 40 aircraft delivered, the European planemaker witnessed a slight decrease in the number of planes it pushed out. The figures threw some not-so-surprising results regarding the kind of aircraft delivered and gave an idea of where Airbus stands in its target for year-end deliveries. Let’s take a closer look. Slight dip The aircraft manufacturing giant rolled out 40 planes in August. The figures have thinned out a little compared to the last three months – it delivered 47 in July, 77 in June (highest so far), and 50 in May. However, this was expected as production in August usually slows down during the annual summer holiday period. Overall, the European firm has delivered 384 aircraft in eight months against a 2021 delivery target of 600 that it set earlier this year. To meet the year-end target, Airbus has to hand over 216 more aircraft to clients in the next four months, averaging 54 planes a month. Looking at its delivery figures for this year, it’s not an impossible task for Airbus, and with the holiday season ending, production is expected to pick up again. A320neo family comes out on top Unsurprisingly, most of the planes that came out of Airbus factories last month were narrowbodies, given the pandemic-induced slump in demand for widebodies. The figures were so lopsided that only 2 out of the 40 airplanes delivered were widebodies. The A320neo family of aircraft alone accounted for 80% of all deliveries in August. Here’s the breakdown: By size Narrowbodies: 38/40 Widebodies: 2/40 By type ADVERTISEMENT A320neo: 16/40 A321neo: 16/40 A321ceo: 1/40 A220-300: 5/40 A350-900: 2/40 IndiGo A320neo The largest domestic carrier in India and low-cost giant IndiGo received the maximum number of aircraft at four (two each of A320neo and A321neo). Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific were the only carriers that received the widebody A350-900, at one each. Best month for orders so far While deliveries in August may have taken a slight hit for Airbus, it was a completely different story when it came to orders. The aircraft manufacturer bagged an impressive order of 102 jets – its best so far in 2021. Again, the single-aisle fuel-efficient neos were the top choice for airlines, with most orders coming in from British low-cost airline Jet2 for 36 A321neos. Delta Air Lines of the US was a close second placing an order of 30 A321neos, and LATAM Airlines Group gave the third-largest order of seven A320neos and 21 A321neos. The only widebody order came from German carrier Condor for seven A330-900. Indeed, August seems to have infused life back into Airbus’ order book following its worst month of 2021 in July when it received just two orders. Game on Both Airbus and Boeing made headlines in the last few weeks. British low-cost carrier Jet2 created quite a buzz when it distanced itself from Boeing and placed its first-ever order with Airbus for 36 airplanes. Following renewed interest in the 737 MAX series and restructuring of US carriers, Boeing sits quite comfortably as well in terms of the number of orders it has currently. However, its recent, rather public, disagreement with Ryanair has left many wondering which direction the carrier could take in the near future. For now, the game is on for both aircraft manufacturing rivals. https://simpleflying.com/airbus-august-deliveries-2021/ Airlines facing a new pilot shortage as planes, but not personnel, return Some U.S. airline operations were constrained this summer as carriers worked to catch up with training for pilots who were on leave during worst days of the Covid-19 crisis. But experts expect the return of a more structural pilot shortage in the coming years as flight operations eventually ramp up to 2019 levels but without the pilots who took advantage of early retirement offers put forward by airlines in 2020. "It's going restrict our ability to do business worldwide," said Kit Darby, whose aviation consulting business, KitDarby.com, focuses on pilot career services. "It is going to restrict our regional airlines, and they have half the flights and over a quarter of the passengers. If the smaller airlines run out of pilots they can't feed the bigger airlines passengers." Fueled by a surge of pilots reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 and augmented by industry growth and a reduction in the number of military-trained pilots who could quickly be hired, the U.S. airline industry was struggling with a pilot shortage prior to the pandemic. The University of North Dakota, which has one of this country's leading four-year flight training degree programs, estimated that the U.S. had a shortage of 3,500 commercial pilots in 2020, pre-pandemic. The shortage had been especially acute for regional airlines in the years leading up to the Covid-19 outbreak, forcing some to reduce their schedules while also contributing to some bankruptcies and closures. Schedule reductions directly impact major carriers, since the largest U.S. regional airlines fly under the American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express brands. The University of North Dakota expected mandatory retirements to peak between 2023 and 2026 at around 3,000 annually. The pilot shortage ended overnight with the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis. Instead, approximately 5,000 pilots accepted early retirement offers from mainline U.S. carriers desperate to reduce payroll, according to analysis undertaken by Darby. Now, as airlines anticipate reaching 2019 demand levels in 2022 or 2023 and then growing from there, they'll have to replace those pilots sooner than expected, often from the existing regional pilot ranks. Hiring needs will be substantially higher than what airlines have dealt with to date. U.S. airline seat capacity is down 11% this August compared with 2019, according to the air travel data provider OAG. Worldwide, the in-service airline fleet also remains 11% below the pre-pandemic level, according to a recent Aviation Week analysis. In addition, 11% of the planes that are in service are either parked or on reserve. In other words, there will be a future need for more planes -- and more pilots. Delta has said it plans to hire 1,000 pilots by next summer. United recently became the first mainline U.S. carrier to purchase its own flight training school. The carrier expects to graduate 5,000 pilots from its Aviate Academy by the end of the decade. In an analysis early this year, the consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimated that U.S. pilot demand will exceed supply by more than 9,000 by January. That number increases to more than 12,500 by January 2023, according to the estimate -- 13% of total demand. Regional airlines will shoulder much of the burden. Such forecasts haven't escaped the attention of Faye Malarkey Black, CEO of the Regional Airline Association. She said she expects a renewed pilot shortage next year that is magnified by early retirements, which will mean less service for the smaller communities that are served primarily by regional carriers. But the two largest U.S. regional carriers are expressing optimism about their own staffing situation. "We have a strong pipeline, including relationships with hundreds of flight schools, and have been fortunate to maintain significant interest in our positions, with pilot training classes filled well into 2022," SkyWest spokeswoman Marissa Snow said. Lauren Gaudion, spokeswoman for Republic Airways, noted that the carrier launched its own Lift pilot training academy in Indianapolis three years ago to help deal with the pilot shortage. "With our first pilots transitioning to Republic earlier this summer, we are already seeing the success of our flight academy, and we continue to bring in more students to build the talent pool of pilots and technicians into the future," she said. Other flight training schools are also responding to the anticipated shortage. This spring, for example, England-based Skyborne Aviation acquired the former Flight Safety Aviation Academy in Vero Beach, Fla., and opened its first U.S. operation. Skyborne already has training partnerships with United, Delta and American, CEO Lee Woodward said, and details of an affiliation with SkyWest will soon be announced. "It is pretty apparent to me how they're viewing the looming pilot shortage," Woodward said of Skyborne's partners. Darby said that filling training academies will be important, but it won't solve the shortage over the medium term, largely because it often takes aspiring pilots four years to be eligible to fly for a regional airline and even longer to get on with a mainline carrier. "We are going to have to do everything," he said. "We are going to have recruit from flight training schools, from two-year colleges and four-year schools and from the military. I don't really believe it is going to be enough in the short term. I believe it is going to restrict business for the next two or three years." https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Airlines-facing-a-new-pilot-shortage-as-planes-but-not-personnel-return GE is owed $32 million as supersonic-jet maker Aerion liquidates General Electric Co. is owed about $32 million for engine-development work done for Aerion Corp., the defunct maker of supersonic jets that’s now in liquidation. The industrial giant is the largest creditor of Aerion, which has less than $100 million of unpaid debts, said Joseph Luzinski, who is handling the asset sales for Development Specialists Inc. Aerion has few assets other than patents on supersonic-jet design, computers and furniture to repay creditors, he said. GE, a key supplier to Aerion, was tasked with designing a new engine that would operate efficiently both at speeds above and below the sound barrier while keeping noise at a minimum. Boeing Co., which owns a third of the diluted equity in the startup planemaker, was expected to contribute its manufacturing know-how to the project. Aerion owes Boeing about $3.7 million in bridge financing, according to a legal document. GE declined to comment on its work for Aerion or the amount it’s owed. Even with marquee partners on board, the few assets left after Aerion folded are an indication of how far away the project was from building an actual plane. Aerion, founded by Texas billionaire Robert Bass, had planned to begin manufacturing in 2023 and making deliveries in 2027. As late as March, the company said it had a customer backlog worth $10 billion, including Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s NetJets and its main rival in the private jet fractional ownership industry, Flexjet. The only customer deposit still owed, according to the document, is to Flexjet for $500,000. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09/07/business/ge-is-owed-32-million-supersonic-jet-maker-aerion-liquidates/ American Airlines (AAL) to End Unvaccinated Staff Special Leaves American Airlines Group AAL will do away with special leaves for unvaccinated employees who contract COVID-19 and need to quarantine, starting next month. While the special leave policy will still be available to fully vaccinated employees who fall sick with the virus, unvaccinated staff will have to use their sick time or medical leave for absence from work on the same ground. In a memo to its staff, which was seen by Reuters, the carrier said, "Given there is an FDA-approved vaccine, pandemic leave will only be offered to team members who are fully vaccinated and who provide their vaccination card to us." Amid rising coronavirus cases, several airline companies are adopting measures to push their employees to get inoculated, so that operations can be protected as much as possible. American Airlines’ scrapping of special leaves for unvaccinated employees coincided with Alaska Air Group’s ALK cessation of special COVID pay for unvaccinated employees who miss work due to the disease. The airline also requires all new hires to be vaccinated and is rewarding employees who provide proof of vaccination with a $200 payment. United Airlines UAL has also imposed vaccine mandates on all its domestic employees. In a different approach to get employees vaccinated, last month, Delta Air Lines DAL announced that effective Nov 1, it will add a monthly surcharge of $200 on healthcare plans of unvaccinated employees. Additionally, effective Sep 30, the carrier will be providing COVID pay protection only to fully vaccinated employees who suffer from breakthrough infections. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/american-airlines-aal-end-unvaccinated-153303332.html American Airlines pilots' union to strike over fatigue, overscheduling (Reuters) - The labor union representing American Airlines pilots said it will begin informational picketing in coming weeks at the carrier's major hubs to protest their work schedule, fatigue, and lack of adequate accommodation over the summer. The Allied Pilots Association will picket at Miami International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and other locations, it said in an emailed statement to Reuters. "Our airline needs scheduling practices that support the safety margin, respect pilots' and passengers' needs, and de-risk American Airlines to protect and improve revenue," the union said. American did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. In August, a union representing Southwest Airlines pilots filed a lawsuit challenging forced time off and other changes to working conditions imposed by the airline during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/american-airlines-pilots-union-strike-025051281.html NASA Ingenuity helicopter zooms low across Mars in lucky flight 13 The Mars Ingenuity helicopter is living out its team's wildest dreams. The rotorcraft completed its 13th flight on Saturday as it continues to act as an aerial scout for its companion, the NASA Perseverance rover. The helicopter scoped out what NASA calls "the geologically intriguing South Seitah region," an area of interest for the rover, which just triumphantly collected its first Martian rock sample. Ingenuity had its eyes on one particular ridgeline, and it flew at a lower altitude to collect some good pictures. For flight 13, the rotorcraft zoomed along at an altitude of 26 feet (8 meters), compared to 33 feet (10 meters) for its previous flight 12. The flight path was designed to capture images that would overlap with previous snaps to give a more complete view of the area. After the mission arrived on Mars in February, NASA focused a lot of energy on the chopper and its efforts to prove that powered, controlled flight was possible on another planet. Ingenuity's work has since shifted to one of support as the rover seeks out signs of ancient microbial life in the dry lakebed of Jezero Crater. NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter spotted its own shadow during its 13th flight on the red planet. Ingenuity's images are helping the Perseverance team plan the rover's explorations, but sometimes it also gets to pose for snapshots. Perseverance managed to capture a sweet photo of Ingenuity sitting in the distance on Saturday. The helicopter nearly blends into the rocky landscape. With one sample under its belt, the rover will be on the lookout for more intriguing rocks that might be worth sending back to Earth one day. With Ingenuity's eyes in the air, these two robotic explorers make quite a team. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/nasa-ingenuity-helicopter-zooms-low-across-mars-in-lucky-flight-13/ar-AAOc4ND POSITION AVAILABLE: Decision Science Lead, Flight Safety Atlanta, GA This position will support the delivery and continued evolution of products based on the safety data, classifications, and models built with Flight Safety metrics and data science. The Technical Lead will help develop the safety data best practices for adoption and training within Flight Safety as well as Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance. This requires a deep knowledge of aviation safety metrics and models, classification models, statistical processes, and core data science/data engineering skill sets. This role will report directly to the Manager, Data and Decision Science. Primary responsibilities: • Bridge the gap between data collected from operations and the risk analysis needed for Delta to make informed decisions about areas of flight safety risk. • Design, develop and implement software products based on data science/machine learning models. • Help develop best practices for flight safety data architecture, data stewardship, and data presentation. • Define and execute the data modeling roadmap. • Build data sets from multiple data sources, both internally and externally. • Partner with Operational data analysis teams to optimize and enhance the data environment for addressing known safety risks and applying methods to discover potential new risks. • Work with operational leaders to ensure that the data products are produced with optimal efficiency and best practices. • Leverage emerging technologies and identify efficient and meaningful ways to disseminate data and analysis in order to satisfy the business' needs. • Provide technical leadership to the Flight Safety department and Corporate Safety. • Practice safety-conscious environment resulting in employee safety and well-being. • Embraces diverse people, thinking and styles. What you need to succeed: • Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or equivalent experience. • Must have at least 2 years of relevant analytical/project management experience. • Must have a working knowledge of Flight Operations and Flight Safety metrics. • Proficiency in working with relational databases and query authoring (SQL). • Proficiency in data visualization best practices and commercially available tools (e.g. Tableau). • Proficiency in Python, Bash script or other basic functional programming tools. • Strong written, oral communication, and interpersonal skills. • A natural curiosity towards constant improvement. • Strong project management, organizational, and prioritizations skills. • Must be able to interact and collaborate at all levels within Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance, Flight Operations, cross-divisional working groups and outside entities. • Must be performing satisfactorily in current position. What will give you a competitive edge: • PhD degree/candidate preferred. • Working knowledge of statistical/machine learning tools (e.g. scikit-learn) preferred. To apply, please visit: https://delta.avature.net/careers/JobDetail/Decision-Science-Lead/6087 APPLY HERE FOQA Specialist (NJUS) Purpose of Position The FOQA Specialist processes day-to-day Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) data using the Ground Data Replay Analysis System (GDRAS) and performs routine data analysis. The FOQA Specialist creates weekly and monthly deliverables in addition to working with Gatekeepers and other members of Safety and FOQA Management Team (FMT). Tasks and Responsibilities · Supports the FOQA Program Manager with daily administration of the FOQA efforts to ensure analysis of flight data for improved flight safety including validation of FOQA events, identification of events for Gatekeeper contacts and identification of events for Maintenance reporting. · Performs data analysis, root cause analysis and determines corrective actions of digital flight data to determine adverse events, trends in flight and maintenance operations. Coordinates and validates aircraft specific event definitions. Maintains and identifies new FOQA events, and manages documentation supporting these functions. · Prepares flight operations trending analysis charts and reports. Compiles and presents FOQA data summaries to enhance training, maintenance, flight operations. Performs specialized studies and fulfills special data requests. Assists in the creation of safety and FOQA department publications. Prepares reports, presentations, and statistical data required to identify trends for safety enhancement. · Oversees data collection process of aircraft fleet in conjunction with Maintenance. Education Bachelor's in Aviation or Engineering Certifications and Licenses Years of Experience 0-2 years of experience Core Competencies Adaptability Collaboration Curiosity Service-Oriented Strives for Positive Results Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other (KSAOs) · Basic computer programming and statistical methods experience · Strong work ethic, ability to work in a fast-paced environment and a positive attitude toward teamwork · Previous experience maintaining and enhancing corporate safety standards and safe operation practices · Extensive working knowledge of Microsoft Office Programs, including spreadsheet and database applications · Travel up to 10% of the time, including overnight stays · FAA Commercial Pilot License or higher preferred · Prior experience with Austin Digital or equivalent GDRAS platforms preferred · Knowledge of aircraft flight data recorders preferred · Previous work experience, preferably in 14 CFR Part 121 or 135 air carrier operations; quality control, maintenance, operations, safety or a combination of these areas. APPLY HERE Curt Lewis